Run and Hide
by GleeFantasy
Summary: 'I'm never going back, Santana. I rather perish fighting, then live captivated.' But that's easy said, then to be done. AU
1. Chapter 1

Heart pounding, vigorously in her chest. Feet accelerating with every step. Her wavy brown hair moving around her face. The shimmering stars in the deep darkness glowing around her features.

She jumps, above the fence, an impossible height. It's way too high and big for a human to jump over it. But she and the others know best, they know everything.

None of them are even humans to begin with.

She hears the grass whistling behind her, hard stomps following her every movement.

She doesn't dare to look back, scared that the guards are running after her, following her, and ready to take her back into her prison.

She refuses to cooperate. She won't go, _never_, not anymore.

She'd rather die.

The wind hits her face, hard. Her bare feet gracing over the grass, hands moving widely, helping her push herself forward.

Heartbeat, knocking, hard,_ so_ hard. Beating, pounding. Moving so painfully against her chest as though wanting to jump out of her ribcage.

The air hitting her lungs, making it burn. And just taking a breath, every now and then, prickles her insides.

She runs towards the trees far ahead, faster, inhumanly fast. Serpentine around the stumps, bending when her eyes meet branches. Moving her face, right and left to escape the leaves.

Far ahead, through the thick darkness, and the vehemently light of the moon. Above every tree and every green natural surrounding, she meets the body of one of her kind. A strong female running just as fast. Jumping past the branches, above the trees. The light of the moon capturing her body as a whole, before landing back on the grass and running further.

She follows, strictly at the same path of the girl. Knowingly that the others are there too.

''Stop! Now!'' The sound is hard and thick. Revealing it's voice as one of the leaders.

She ignores it.

Running faster.

Her life and freedom depends on it.

''Hold still!'' But she still ignores the voice, dreading through the woods, and taking differently and crookedly paths to confuse them where she might be going. ''We will shoot!'' She knows they will.

But she isn't one to give up.

A swift bang reveals itself. The sound clicking in her ears.

She cups her head to the side, moving her face from the bullet coming towards her.

She hears steps. Harder, _louder_. Bullets forming lines, coursing their ways towards her.

She jumps, high. Bents, low. Moves, right and left, managing to dodge every metallic deadly object that wants to haunt her or scar her for life.

It's so dark, the trees seem like ghosts mesmerizing the world. The grass feels so wet between her toes. The air seems so, real, above everything else she has experienced. It finally, after all this time, feels like she's indeed, alive.

It feels so good.

Her eyes meet her ending, where the others have presumably landed. She knows, if she jumps over the cliff, that she will be free from their claws, and free from everything that will come between her and her freedom. It takes a risk to get to your destination.

It's hard and dangerous, it's glass and it's standing right in front of her. She knows that going through the pointy objects will hurt her and make her bleed. It will forever stay locked within her mind. Only amnesia can take it away. But if she doesn't go through it, never risking a chance. She will never be free.

She wants to be free.

''Hold still Rachel.'' Her legs are tired. Her restrain wants to fade. ''This is where it stops!'' He screams, shouting. At the top of his lungs. Birds flying from the trees, scared of the sound. And she stops, right in front of the cliff. Turning her head, slowly, gently. ''We can make you happy.''

Her eyes are tired, she hasn't slept in day's, weeks, _months_. ''If you jump, we will still find you.'' He pauses, eyes black. Just like the midnight sky. ''All of you.''

She knows this. They may never give up searching for them.

But she doesn't seem to care anymore.

Rachel's this close at getting her freedom. A minuscule point.

One of the guards walks forward, gun in one hand, others appearing from the leaders back, standing there. Threateningly. Dangerously.

He aims the gun at her.

''Come with us. Be the worlds first _hero_.'' He puts emphasize on the word hero. As though he thinks that she really wants to be someone special and risk her life for others. And at first she _did_ want that. More then anything. But not like this. Not how he is doing it. ''We can do without the others, if we have you.''

This is not worth it. The pain isn't worth it. Being taking away from your family for years isn't worth it. Never seeing the world up close, the flowers, trees, leaves, feeling the air, the grass between your toes.

She moves her toes just a bit to feel the moist wetness of the grass.

_This_ is worth it.

''I'm. Not. A. Machine.'' It's all that she needs to say, before turning around fully. Eyes at the cliff, looking down.

And then she jumps.

Hearing the shot of a gun as the safety ground beneath her becomes air.


	2. Chapter 2

She's falling, falling, falling, falling. In more ways then one. Not only does she feel gravity pushing her down towards the sea, she's feeling her heart leap out of her chest, too. Figuratively of course.

Her throat hurts, legs dangling through the air, hands moving motionlessly up and down, left and right. Turning, twisting. The wind pushing her, harder.

She can't control her body anymore. It doesn't listen, nor react to her mind's signals.

It has a will of it's own, and she must obey to it's laws.

Her body hits the water. Cold fluid splashing around her, rocks pointing at her back and front.

It's cold, the water is ice cold. Freezing. Taking little bites out of her skin.

Water leaping into her mouth, just a bit. She has more control of that little part of her body then the rest, because she manages to close it just as soon as the fluid spills inside her mouth.

Her eyes stay open, gazing at the blue liquid surrounding her body.

And she sinks, down.

Feet immobilized, hands spread. Body weak.

She keeps sinking.

Her eyelids are weak, she feels _so_ sleepy. She's so _damn_ tired. And Rachel isn't one to use profanities. But somehow, in one way or another, she can't bring herself to care. She doesn't even try.

She hasn't slept for a while now. The strenuous trainings they had given her had taking in so much of her sleeping time. The painful treatments she has been receiving at the base had her moaning out countless of times. Sleeping wasn't even possible. And if she even were to close her eyes, just for a moment, just for a little second. Her sight would be blurred with everything she has done and everything she has experienced.

She would wake up screaming.

But now, she can sleep.

Just for a moment.

Somebody will wake her up, sooner or later.

And her throat hurts, her lungs clenching in.

She can't hold on any longer.

It has to stop.

She let's her eyes hold on for a moment, gazing at a black dot coming closer, _closer_. And it moves _so_ fast. Waves forming around it's body.

She let's it come her way.

Her eyes can't hold on any longer. She resents the weakness oozing through her body, but honestly, truthfully, she can't seem to bring herself to care anymore.

Her eyelids fall close at the sight of the dot, lips parting, feeling her body become completely and utterly numb.

* * *

><p>''Try it again!'' His voice is raspy. Face as cold as ice. ''Move the damn stone!''<p>

Rachel tries. She really tries.

Her feet withhold the ground. Hands shivering slightly. She pulls her right hand up, eyes focusing at the larger stone before her. She focuses. Holding in her breath, before swiping her hand to the right to make it move.

It doesn't move.

''Damnit! Rachel!'' She's scared, so, _scared_.

She doesn't want punishment because of her failure.

He walks closer, fast, crossing the gym and heading towards her. The others looking back at her sympathetic. Eyes full of remorse, even rage.

He grabs her jaw, nails digging into her skin, jerking her face upwards. ''Look at me!'' Her eyes don't want to. They refuse to meet his anger this close, to feel his rage pushing it's way through her veins. ''Now!'' He slaps her, hard. Letting go of her jaw and pushing her backwards. Gaining her to slide over the gym and her back to collide with the wall.

She let's out a little yelp.

''What is wrong with you!'' She holds in her breath, head looking at the floor. Her beautiful thick brown hair falling along her face. Tickling her. ''You failed me each time..'' He sighs, shaking his head, looking back at her. ''Move the stone, Rachel. One last chance.''

He stares for a moment, trying to sort her out. Wanting to understand her.

But he really can't understand the tiny girl.

''Can't you give her a break?'' One of the others pipes up. She looks back before her, staring at the cage where the others are. The iron blocking them from her reach. ''She's been standing there for two hours now.'' He sighs, hesitantly, also scared of what may come if he disobeys.

His green eyes catches hers for a moment, before tearing them away and looking back at the man.

''Noah, have you learned nothing.'' The man say's, shaking his head. ''What happens here.'' He points at her, and moves his hand all over the gym. Telling the younger boy with just his hands what he means. ''Doesn't concern you at all.''

Noah nods his head.

She knows, out of experience that disobeying will lead to no good.

And nobody wants that.

''Stand up.'' His eyes stare back at hers. And without waiting, she does what is told. Her back aches, and she feels a light sting in her cheeks, however she still does what he asks from her. Her body obeys, her head listens. But her heart disagrees. ''If you don't move the stone, Rachel. We may have problem. You and me.'' He holds her stare, piercing his black eyes within hers. ''Do you want that?''

She shakes her head, expeditiously. And he walks back to his stands. To his place with the other guards and agents. ''Then try it.''

She's so scared.

_So_ anxious.

She can't. She really, _just_, can't do it. She wants to, really, badly, awfully badly. But she can't.

She blinks back the tears, aiming her hand at the stone. Her fingers are shaking, palm sweating.

But she takes in a deep breath, blowing it out right after. It's shaky and unverifiable.

And if there is one thing that she has learned during her whole life in this ridicule that it is never good to be anxious and full with thoughts if your trying to use your powers.

It leads up to failure. And failure means punishment.

Her teeth clenches. Eyes on the stone. Jaw making soft inaudible noises.

Focus.. Focus.. _Focus_!

Head empty.

Her eyes closed, heartbeat moving slowly. Bones resting, mind forgetting her premises, her surroundings. Teeth relaxing, body relaxing. Eyelids gently and softly on each other. Total and in completely silent peace.

Her hand swipes to the right, hard. A swift one motion.

She hears a hard bang.

And when she opens up her eyes, she sees the stone inside the wall. Little pieces falling of it. Dust roaming around the object.

She did it.

* * *

><p>''Rachel, wake the fuck up. Don't give up on us.'' She feels a hard push on her chest, moist lips touching hers. Blowing air inside her mouth.<p>

She jerks up, spluttering out the water haunting her throat. Spitting out the liquid wanting to take away her life.

''Thank the fucking Lord.'' Noah shouts, throwing his hands up in the air.

She keeps coughing and coughing, one hand on her chest, and the other one before her supporting her body on the land.

''Jesus Christ Puck. Why do you have to bring God inside this mess.'' The blond haired girl walks closer towards Rachel's sitting body, laying a hand on her back. ''Are you okay, Rachel?''

She looks around, very slowly. Her throat burns, and her lungs still feel clenched. Making too much movement will only ache her even more. ''_How_.. What.. I..''

''Sam saved you.'' Santana pipes up, finishing inspecting her nails. As though she might have gotten dirt inside of it.

Rachel smiles full of honesty and gratitude at the blond boy next to her.

He mimics the smile, wholeheartedly.

''Yeah, but I gave you the mouth to mouth action.'' Puck wiggles his eyebrows, smirking. He stands up walking towards Kurt and putting his hand on the boy's shoulder. Squeezing it lightly to gain his attention. Willing the thinner boy to take his eyes off the moving sea. ''She's fine dude. I told you.''

Kurt nods slowly. His eyes glassy. ''We are still in jeopardy, though.'' He sighs, laying his eyes back at the tiny brunet. ''They won't stop now. I presume that they've already made plans to cross over the sea.'' He walks up to Rachel, lending a hand for her to take.

She takes it gracefully, as Sam and Quinn help her to stand up. ''I suggest we leave now, before it's too late.''

That sounds like a good plan.

''To where exactly?'' Finn say's, standing up from his sitting position on the land and looking concerned back at Rachel. ''We don't exactly have strenght to go on.''

Rachel leans back on Quinn closing her eyes to think of something, anything. Perhaps a idea will be willing to cross her mind and help them during their time of need.

She always was one to seize them out of problems and have good ideas.

Although Noah and Finn where the ones who had the risky yet insane idea to escape this burning hell whole.

''Got any ideas, Rachel?'' Santana directs to her, crossing her arms over her chest. ''Use that pretty little brain of yours to get us out of here.''

She feels their eyes stick to her like glue, waiting for her to save them.

But she can't comprehend any sentence.

She blames it on the still aching throat she has, and the water that might have taking a hold on her brains and shut everything down. Every flickering light bob, every shining star, even the little glistering of glitter, has become entirely dark.

''Honestly,'' she looks back at all of them, dreading to say this. ''I genuinely don't know.''

''What the fuck fuckity fuck!'' Puck throws his arms up, again. And it's becoming very annoying as he does so. ''Come one Berry, we need you now.''

''Yeah,'' Sam agrees. ''We know you can do it.'' He looks back at her, pleadingly. ''Every time when we think that you can't, you always do.''

That's true, though.

Santana sighs, loudly, eyes rolling. ''We really need you, Rachel.'' It probably was very hard for her to say that. Perhaps they were forbidding words she desperately, tried to avoid to say.

She presses her eyes together. Bottom lip between her teeth. The gears practically moving in her mind.

''We all barley have the strenght to pursue.'' But Rachel will be damned if she stayed here any longer. ''We should definitely initiate walking. We need to be far out of sight.'' She sighs, straightening her back. ''If we walk, we might contrive our way to somewhere secure.''

''It's dark, Rachel. We won't see where we're going.'' Kurt frowns. ''I'm not going to walk through the forest _in the dark_. Do you know what lives there.'' He shudders at the mere thought.

She moves her body away from Quinn's arm, standing far more straighter and collecting her fallen dignity. ''Well, unless you want to stay here, risking the possibility of getting caught and once more being imprisoned as though we are..'' She looks around, eyes turning, brains reflecting, trying to find a good word to describe her words. ''_Devices. _Only good enough when the human kind is using us. Then you go right ahead.'' She steps forward, heading to the trees before her. ''But I refuse to stay here and become, once again a _thing_, as though I'm not worthy to be more!'' She shakes her head, stopping in her tracks. Her eyes locked at the nature before her. A different place, separating her from the hell she has escaped. ''I'm mere thirteen years old, and I've already experienced things people at an elderly age won't even dare to dream of. We've been living a nightmare.'' She turns her head, abruptly, gazing back at the others. ''Tell me. Which one is worse. Going through woods and perhaps meeting different kinds of creatures, who _you_ are, definitely stronger then. Or staying here, and risking the possibility of getting caught.''

Her throat is dry, her supple pink tongue aching. Chest still stirring, hurting.

She wills herself to keep talking. ''Unless you want to be once more, a _device_. I suggest you stay.''

She sees their faces fall. Pain of the memories flashing through their eyes.

It's been hard for all of them. Yet so young, but all this time haven lived a nightmare.

She knows that neither of them wants to experience that again.

And as she turns around, taking a deep breath, and stepping forward through the woods. She knows, without a doubt, that the grass moving behind her is the sound of their feet following her to their promised freedom.

* * *

><p><strong>TBC<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

He counts the day's on his fingers. Moving them before his face. His back against the cold hard wall, the frigidity piercing through his hoodie. Tingling his spine. His legs pulled up to his chin, gracing his face lightly. Smoothly.

How long has it been? How much times has been spend in this specific place?

He knows, for a fact, that months have past. Weeks have come and gone. Day's walking through his life like strangers passing him on the street.

He wonders if his mother still looks the same, if the sun still feels just as warm, if the moon still looks just as bright as the nightly sky itself.

Puck pushes his head firmly against the back of the wall. Looking within the chamber he's in. The wall is just as cold, just as freezing. And it takes his head as it's hostage.

The large gray room lacks color, cartridges and even the feeling of life. It takes the happiness of his soul as it's own prisoner.

His head cups to the right, looking at the far away corner of the chamber. Green eyes colliding with a tiny body.

She's small, like really tiny, he's sure that she could fit in his arms just easily. ''This is boring.'' He groans, angrily. Standing up and wiping the nonexistent dust form his trousers. ''When are we going to do something fun.'' He crosses his arms, pouting slightly. ''Or kill some bad asses.''

The tiny girl doesn't move, nor react. She keeps contrary staring right ahead of her. A dark black shadow haunting over her shape. Seemingly as a shield hovering over her small body. Taking away every aspect of the little girl. Every feature that could proclaim her very existence.

''She doesn't like talking.'' A taller boy pipes up. Leaning against the opposite wall before him. His face looks young, but his length makes Puck question about the boy's particularly age. ''Since I came here she hasn't said one word to me.''

Puck hasn't been here long enough to even know one of them. But this kinda throws him of guard.

''How long have you been here?'' He thinks it's best to start a conversation, it's not like they've got other things to do.

Besides, he's genuinely curious about the boy.

''Three years.'' The taller boy nods, agreeing with his own statement. ''I'm Finn.''

''Puck.'' It's short and cool. And he doesn't think it's needful for them to know his full name. ''How long has she been here?'' He makes a gestures to the corner of the room. His eyes catching just a little glimpse of brown hair.

''I don't know.'' Finn shrugs, eyes small. ''But when I came here, she was here already.'' Finn pushes his head harder against the wall, pushing his body all the way down to the cold floor. ''She never talks.''

Puck got that, the first time.

''Uhu. Yeah..'' He looks around, curiously.

''That's because she's a bit out of here.'' A Latina girl say's, moving one finger towards her temple. She twirls her finger slightly, making small circles at her temple, before motioning to the girl. ''She's been here the longest.'' The girl takes a quick look at the corner of the room. ''When I first came here, she was sitting in that exact same place, like a freaking rock, and none of you where here by that time.. So.._ Yeah_. Proves my point.'' She moves slowly on the floor, using her legs to stand up fully. Pushing her whole body up with just one swift movement. ''I'm Santana by the way.''

He nods, again. Because, really, seriously, he doesn't know what else to do in this situation.

They've been here, together for a while now. But neither really discourses. This is probably the farthest that they've ever gone.

He turns his head to his left. Face moving as far as his spine allows him to go. ''What about you.'' His eyes rake over a thinner dude.

He might have never spoken to either of them during his months here. But he has now already started talking to some of them. Why not bring in the whole group?

''Four years.'' The thinner guy say's, walking out of the shadow blocking his face. ''I'm Kurt.''

Kurt walks further away from the darkness, and closer within the little light the chamber provides. It's enough, though, to give a full glimpse of the body's sitting inside the room.

''So,'' Puck starts. ''When are we going to fight some ass wipes.''

Santana looks at him oddly, and Finn just shakes his head.

Another boy stands up. And Puck hadn't even seen him, yet. It's like he just jumped out of nowhere and made an appearance.

''We aren't going to fight yet. First we need proper training.'' The guy instead answers, blond hair falling over his eyes ''You can't go out in the battlefield without trainings.''

''And you are?'' He asks, a bit harsher then he intended to do.

''Sam.'' He crosses his legs over each other, back leaning against the walls.

It confuses him that everyone says his first name instead of his full given name.

He knows his reasons, but wonders what might be theirs.

''But we are going to fight, right?'' He hopes so, because that was his reasons for agreeing to leave his home and mother. He wants to become a hero, someone big and prove his mother that his worthless father hadn't left him any congenital symptoms.

''You haven't been summoned to the gym, right?'' Kurt continues.

He doesn't answer.

Kurt takes that as a yes. ''Then you aren't going to fight yet.''

''Yeah. It's like that. They want to know if you're strong enough. But in the end we will all fight against bad guy's.'' Finn agrees, nodding his head firmly.

He wants to say something back, ask the questions his mind have made up. Follow the routine of his heart and empty his soul with words.

But somebody beats him to it.

''You will never fight. We will all suffer and become what they want us to become. Serviceable for the governments needs. You might think that the bad guys are out there. But _here_ in this place, there are enough malicious mans to start an army.''

It's an angelical voice, a soft sweet breeze. It's sound like music and laughter. A sweet memorable pitch. Beautiful yet unique. One of a kind. So soft, and somehow, someway, heart begetting bright.

But if it is so beautiful, yet so ennobling, then why does it come from the darkest of the chamber. Out of the blackest of places, hidden within the corner of the room?

* * *

><p>He can barely see where he's going. It's too dark, too cold, too terrifying to see or even possibly try to find out where he has to head to.<p>

Puck follows Rachel, follows her through the woods. Passing the trees, plants, stumps. Walking side by side with Finn and Sam. She's their leader, even if she would deny it with every fiber within her body. Dislike it as much as she wants to, or disagree with it until the end of time.

She is it. And will always be it.

She's smart, and has the clearest mind of them all during this time. He knows it, believes it. She has always been the one to lead them to their destination, help them when the fire is burning beneath their feet. Ease their troubling minds when all they want to do is give up.

He keeps following, even when he starts hearing loud grunting and harsh groaning deep within the forest. Even when the darkness minimizes their sights. He still keeps walking, steady, searchingly. Eyes roaming around his whereabouts, pecs tensing, slightly. Almost tortuously.

He isn't scared. He can't be. He never will be.

But honestly, how does he explain the crawling shivers on his body, the biting ache feeling in his pit, the soft yet hard clenching of his throat?

It has to means _something_.

''I'm scared.'' Quinn crosses her arms protectively around her chest. Walking before him. ''This doesn't look save, Rachel.'' The thirteen year old blond girl bites her lip. Softly, her white teeth digging into her own soft skin.

She waits for an answer to come out of the brunet.

But Rachel doesn't respond.

''Damnit Rachel. Where are we going!'' It's still threateningly dark. Still black before their eyes. And their mere bodies can't be seen very well. Detainees of the darkness itself. ''What if something attacks us.'' Santana steps slowly closer towards Quinn. She may deny it later on, but Puck can clearly see how the girl tenses underneath her own words. Accepting her potential deathly faith. ''Or maybe something is watching us.'' She wipes her head around, looking within the darkness, trying, but obviously failing miserably, to see something instead of green dark leaves and lying stumps.

''Rachel, I know you're crazy,'' Kurt say's, walking at the right side of Quinn opposite from Santana. ''But this just goes above all your standards.'' He waits for an answer. Waits for words to come out of the girl's mouth. Something to leave her lips, anything. Waiting for her to pour out her mind.

It never comes.

''Don't start giving us the silent treatment, Berry.'' He takes it as his cue to shake the girl out of her demeanor, her madness ways of once again shutting her own system down from their hearing. ''Just tell us where we're going..'' He holds his eyes at her back, staring at her head. At the undulating brown hair. Her long legs within her sweatpants, her small frame. He holds his stare. Watching her moving body like a hawk. ''At least tell us if we can help.''

He sounds like a sissy.

''Maybe she doesn't know where we're going?'' Sam questions, more to her then to the rest. ''Maybe she's trying to figure it out.''

He doesn't nod, doesn't look back at his side to stare at Sam. Nor gives him the initiation that he heard his words.

His stare withholds the girl in front of the group.

''I think Sam's right.'' Finn say's dumbly. ''Maybe we should give her some time.''

''How long is some time?'' Santana barks back, giving Finn a quick glance over her shoulder. ''We don't have forever.''

It falls still. Everything falls still.

Their feet shuffle, moving past the trees, stepping over the falling stumps. Mimicking Rachel's every movement.

She heads further, like a person under a spell. Like a girl who has left her own mind, and is following anothers voice.

She's so damn silent.

So freaking still.

Her moving body, her steps, the little sounds her feet make when they come in contact with the wet grass, proves him that she is indeed alive.

But then she stops.

Suddenly.

Her body bringing theirs to a halt.

She's standing there, immobilized, on the soft dark grass. Her small toes sticking out from underneath her too big sweat pants. Her arms hanging loosely along her sides.

She stands there.

And they watch.

''Something is here.'' Rachel whispers, so softly, so quietly. And he has to withhold himself to move just a bit forward to hear her voice correctly. Her head moves just the slightest bit up, just enough to bring her hair to the back of her neck, letting it fall longingly.

She stares.

Deep inside the woods, right before them, she keeps staring.

He doesn't see a thing.

It's merely a black whole, hiding something there before them. He doesn't see a thing, nothing. It's _so_ damn black, full of darkness. Empty less.

But maybe she sees it? Maybe she feels something? Or even hears voices?

''What do you mean?'' Finn questions. He walks closer, all the way to her stands.

And he feels forced to do the same. His feet move, and he obeys.

''It's talking to me.'' She whispers, again.

Eyes attached at the black hole, pupils moving, mouths closed. Neither knows what is happening. Neither knows what to expect. It's like being back at the camp and never knowing when they are going to call you in. When you've gotta prove your life's worth in front of guards, soldiers, fallen hero's, retired mad mans.

But he's afraid to say, afraid to know, that perhaps, maybe, somewhere, in her pretty little mind, that she knows exactly what is going on. Like she always does.

* * *

><p>''What the hell?'' He doesn't mean for it to come out so crass. Honestly, he's only angry that somebody would suggest something like that. Especially if that was his <em>only<em> reason for agreeing to come to a place like this. ''How can you say something like that?''

She's still covered up from their eyes, still underneath a blanket of darkness.

''Why do you say that?'' Kurt asks this time, far more gentler. ''We were told differ.''

She snickers, tauntingly. Mockingly. ''And you believe everything somebody say's to you?'' She pauses, and the air is so suffocating and the silents so interminable. It's like there is no end to it. A dead trail. ''Don't.''

It sounds more like plead. As though she wants us to not have too much hope, because the ending won't be what we wish for to see.

Santana scoffs, angrily. Rage fully. And he has this feeling that Santana is a known girl for such reactions. ''What do you even know about this.'' She takes a dangerously step closer. ''If we know less, you wouldn't know too much.''

The girl doesn't move, not at all.

She's quiet again. And he's positive that Santana had touched a sensitive spot.

''I can read minds.'' But she starts talking, stating her words like a known fact, and the air fills with warmth and vibration. And it brings tickles in his stomach and cartwheels into his chest. ''I know what they think.''

''You do?'' Sam asks. ''What do they exactly, think?''

He sounds a bit mockingly, voice filled with disbelief. But in just his tone he despises a little uncertainty.

She moves, just a bit. The shadow incapable of capturing her movement. ''You might think that you were chosen just out of the blue. But that's far from the truth. They know everything about all of you. And followed all of your movement since the beginning of your birth.'' She exhales, ''they ask you if you want to join their group, using appealing suggestions.'' She let's out. ''Wanting to be a hero, somebody great. A leader, prove that you're mighty. That you aren't just a soul on earth like every other human race. And from then on all of you agreed. You believed that none of you were like that, that these people have given you a chance.'' She laughs, contemptuously. ''But if you didn't, they would have used force to get you to agree.''

''Did that happen to you?'' Finn asks, curiously for the first time. Eyes looking at the far away corner.

She's so close, just nearby.

But somehow still far from his reach.

Puck notices movements by her shoulders. She's shrugging. ''I've been here almost my whole life.''

And then it falls still.

And the air becomes thicker and thicker.

''How long is that?'' Kurt breaks the air. Breaks the feeling of suffocation.

''Eight years.'' She goes back to closing her mouth and forgetting that there are people around her. She goes back at being mere a body within a room full of bodies.

He wonders for a moment, what her name might be.

* * *

><p><strong>TBC<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

It's a soft gentle tone, but equally just as harsh. It's loud, yet soft. Mean, yet sweet. Protective and helpful.

And it's just this voice. Just this noise. There is no grass, no woods, no friends, no moving air. Not another soul but hers and that something else. There isn't another voice, but it.

She feels powerless. This instant. She feels weak to the knees, but can't seem to drop down. She feels empty, but knows that her bones and veins and organs are still intact. Her mind, her conscious, that little voice that brings her out of trouble, out of need, is gone. It has left her, and instead this other voice fills her body. And takes in the place of her conscious.

It leads her through the woods, it leads her past the unseen objects of nature. It helps her and she doesn't know why. She can't comprehend why.

Talking, softly. Words like; _'Follow me.' _And; _'I'll help you.' _It echoes through her mind, echoes through her brain. Whispers like her senses. It tells her where she has to go, where she has to be, _right, left, walk straight forward, keep moving left, keep going forward, forward, I'll show you. _She believes it will, and hopes it does.

She doesn't see the paths, she can't, it's dark before her eyes, and the noise becomes everything she used to behold the world with. It's her nose now, her hearing, her eyes, her touch. It's everything, and everywhere. And she obeys, like a slave, like it's a must, and she can't back down from a must.

Rachel knows that she's close, so close to that voice. It's deep inside the forest, behind the trees and grass and creatures of nature. It's there, and it's calling her. Perhaps it's calling her to the outside world, to the safe hard ground. Where the air is fresh and arid, and with cars she has only heard about and with other people past her hidden world.

She doesn't entirely know what lies ahead of her.

But she knows she's before it. That the words she has spoken explain that it is here, and that her friends she can not see, nor behold, must know this.

_'Come closer, Rachel, step forward.' _Her mind is haunted with it's voice. It's deep, hard, sweet, gentle, strange, unique, tone. It calls for her, wants her.

And she obeys.

She steps forward, but doesn't entirely feel her legs. Her hand reaches out. But she doesn't feel the air moving through her fingers.

She listens, she always does. She believes that she is the only one who can help something that searches a connection with her. She believes that she's the only one who can help creatures in need who don't have the lips to speak. She believes that everything that wants to help her, is trustworthy.

_'I'll show you the way..'_

* * *

><p><em>'I'm scared.' <em>

_'Don't be. Just show us what you got, Quinn.'_

Rachel presses her back harder against the wall, hides deeper within the shadow. Deeper within the corner of the room.

Her eyes tighten on each other. Eyelashes gracing over each other. Lips pressed, tightly. Hard. Forming a thin, unseen line.

_'Use your powers Quinn.'_

She doesn't want to hear the talking. She doesn't want to hear people talking in her head. She wants her brain to shutdown. Completely. She wants the outside to swallow up inside a hole and take everyone from this base with it's claws down. Drown them like the ocean taking away your breath. Eat them like a beast sinking it's teeth in your skin.

She wants the sounds to stop.

But they won't.

_'H-how..' Soft, sweet, gentle sighing_. _'Can't my mommy help me?' Young, innocent, prisoner. Clueless._

_Moving heads, shaking faces. Proclaiming their words in mere acts. Saying no with mere their heads. 'Just show us what you've got, Quinn.'_

Images within her head, faces before her eyes. Far away, not even close. But still seen before her eyes. Still there in front of her eyesight. Pictures, figures, a new face, known faces. A new voice, old voices.

_'I'm scared..' She looks everywhere, blond hair swiping over her face. Moving along her cheeks. 'I don't want to do this anymore.' She refuses, scared, frightened. Foolish._

_'You can't turn back anymore. You've already told us that you would participate.' A dangerous undertone in his voice. A nauseating little smile gracing his lips. _

_The girl fears. _

The images, the sounds. It stay's with her. It haunts her head, her mind. Showing her what happens within the chamber of training. On the field of fighting. Giving her messages she wish could stay away. Leave her brain and vacate somewhere else.

She wishes too much. She's asking for the impossible.

Rachel presses her back harder against the wall. Taking comfort from the cold against her spine. Arms wrapped around her knees, tightening. Finding refuge.

_'Maybe if we give you a little push?' He mimics the smile he's known for. It's small and barley seen, but it has so many layers, it's far from small. 'With a little push, you might reach the stars.'_

Lies. Cold hard, filthy, despicable, empty, rubbish, lies.

_Hope within her brown eyes. Within her golden brown light eyes. She believes. Her eyes believe, her eyes show her soul. Her soul believes. Easy to manipulate. Falling just as fast, and just as hard as the others. 'What do I have to do?'_

_Falling._

_Falling._

_Falling._

_The girl doesn't even see how hard, doesn't even notices the nails at the end. Fool._

_'Just show us what you've got.' _

It falls dark.

* * *

><p>It's here, she knows it. Here, just before her. Reaching out, wanting, and waiting for it to touch her fingers. Grab her hand. Show it's face. Her feet move, shuffling, impalpable. Legs stretching, going on, moving on.<p>

''Rachel, Rachel, Rachel.''

She can't hear.

She's almost there.

Just follow.

''Stop. Stop. Stop.''

Voices too far away, nothing is close.

But it's presences is close. It's presences is here.

Just follow.

Almost, almost, honestly, truthfully, undoubtedly, she's almost there. She can almost feel again.

_'You're almost there, Rachel.'_

It knows her name, it knows who she is.

She obeys.

Step by step. Feet by feet. Moving, right and left. Senseless.

Something jerks her to a stop. Holds her shoulder, and draws her backwards. It's grip tightens on her skin. Fingers digging in her flesh. Willing, wanting, begging her to stop moving.

She shrugs it off, with all her might. Pulls herself away from the hand.

She keeps walking.

''Rachel, Rachel, Rachel, stop, stop, stop. Don't, go.''

She doesn't listen. She can't, she won't. Her senses tingle, they start to feel again. She starts to feel again. Her bones stirring.

Almost there.

The wind starts to breeze, her skin engulfs it. Her feet feel the moist, the tingling. Her lips feel cold. Her throat is dry. Her head is spinning, knocking, hurting. Her legs feel tired. Her raised hand before her feels weak. Her fingers move uncontrollably. Shaking, tired.

''Rachel..''

She stops.

* * *

><p>Their chamber opens. Cracking softly. Eyes directed to the light. To the warm vibration falling within their dark room.<p>

The shadow dissipates for a minute. Rachel's tan skin glowing in the light.

A young blond girl walks inside. Her hair falling little past her shoulder. Face weak, body exhausted.

She can barely even stand on her feet.

The door closes, again. And the shadow falls back on Rachel as the blanket it always was.

The blond girl she has seen in her mind, falls to her knees, cradling herself like a young little infant. She's tired and bruised, scared, and weak, tremulous and full with pain.

Just like Rachel's first time inside the training room.

''Are you okay?'' Kurt asks, looking back at the blond girl. Moving just the slightest bit forward.

Frightened and scared, the girl moves backwards. Laying her head and back against the wall. ''Don't, c-come near me.'' Her voice is shaky, her lips tremble.

''I just..'' Kurt tries moving forward again. But Quinn presses her back harder against the wall. As though she wants the wall to shatter down around her and take her body with it. ''You look like you're in pain.''

''Well duh, genius.'' Santana cuts in. ''She's completely bruised.'' She directs her eyes to the blond girl. ''What the hell happened to you?''

Quinn doesn't answer. Her shivering skin does all the talking.

''They messed you up, didn't they?'' Finn asks, obviously. ''I remembered the last time they did that to me.'' He shudders at the thought and experience.

''What?'' Puck asks, completely star-struck. ''What did they do? And why?'' His eyes are directed at the blond girl, hands crossed around his chest. He wants to know, what he has yet to find out.

''They gave her a shock treatment.'' Sam answers. ''If you don't obey, or you fail the assignment, you get a shock treatment.''

Puck gasps, hard. Spluttering out incoherent words.

''When does it stop?'' Quinn asks, so silently, it's barely audible. Her eyes are directed at the others in the room, looking at everyone for an answer.

But they can't answer.

They don't know the answer.

''Will it happen,'' she swallows, hard. Clasping her eyelids over her golden brown eyes. ''_Will_ it happen again?''

She doesn't receive the answer from the visible children.

Quinn receives it from the brunet inside the corner of the room. Hidden before their eyes. Because Rachel feels entitled to say the truth. She's feels as though it's her priority to fill them in.

''It never stops.'' She feels eyes directed at her, but she doesn't stop talking. ''The pain will never stop.'' It's dramatic, and deep, and _hopeless_. Just how her heart has become. ''When you've finally had enough, it sharpens it's teeth, and pulls out his gloves.''

Rachel doesn't want to take away their hope, but she doesn't want to fuel it either. It holds all of their tongues still. And neither knows what to say at this moment.

''It never stops.''

* * *

><p>Painful, vehement light. Excitation in her eyes. Her sight slowly coming back, slowly filling her eyes with images of her current surroundings.<p>

She isn't inside the woods now, it's the first thing that crosses her mind.

She sees streets and lampposts, trucks and strangers. It's different, and out of the ordinary. She's never seen something like this or behold sight of this. But she kinda, strangely likes it.

Her hand drops to her side, her spine and bones resting as much as they can. She's still tired and weak and exhausted but she can do little then less about it.

''How did you do it?'' She doesn't even bother to turn her head, nor explain it. ''How did you find the way?'' Quinn sounds shocked and surprised. Stepping closer near Rachel's side and gazing ahead. Starring at the sight she has long ago forgotten about.

''I don't really know.'' Rachel's speaking the truth, because honestly, she truthfully doesn't know how she did it. She listened to the voice inside her mind. But never really thought that it would bring her out of the woods.

She had a feeling it would, though.

''Well shit, I don't know how you did it. But you did it good.'' Noah retorts. Walking closer and laying is arm around her shoulders.

She doesn't bother shrugging it off.

Santana scoffs, shaking her head disbelieving. ''I don't know about you guys but I'm fucking happy that were out of those woods.'' She grins, looking at Rachel's back. ''But I don't think this is the time to glow and be all happy and shit.''

Sam agrees immediately. Nodding his head. ''We're still fugitives y'know.''

It's a wake up call for all of them. Cold water splashing over sleepy faces. ''Let's move and get away from here.'' Kurt adds helpfully. ''Maybe it's good if we all go separate ways.. We might confuse them.''

Rachel thinks about the moment she was running away from them. Running through the woods and scorching past the trees to confuse them. Taking different ways to make it harder for them to find her. Indicating that it will be hard to catch her.

She reluctantly agrees. ''He's right.'' She holds in her breath, her mind once more silent. ''Everybody must go their separate ways. It's times like these that need hard measures.''

''But aren't we stronger, together?'' Noah asks. He's hesitating, not sure that this is a good idea. ''We have to stick together.''

Santana rolls her eyes, directing her full attention to Noah. ''Stop wussying out on me, Puck. We will meet again. But for now, this is probably the best way to confuse those sonsofbitches. I wanna go find my mom and hug her to death.'' Santana walks further towards the dark horizon, but Rachel stops her abruptly. Standing before her.

''You can't go to your mom. That's the first place they will look.''

''Then where should we go?'' Finn questions.

She doesn't exactly know how to answer this question. ''I don't know.'' She shakes her head. ''However, going to our parents, will be the dumbest move to act out.''

''Well screw this then.'' Noah barks, throwing his hands up in the air. ''I'll find some other place to go.'' He doesn't wait for somebody to disagree with him. Doesn't even bother to say goodbye. Or even ask Rachel what was happening with her in those godforsaken dark woods.

Instead he turns around. Determined that he will find a place where he can be happy.

''Wait, Puck.'' Finn looks around, his eyes stopping at Rachel for approval. But she doesn't react, nor give him any signal what she may think of this situation. He doesn't want to act out without her words. Her clear state of mind, even if it at times doesn't seem at all so. ''I'll go with you.'' He sounds a bit indifferent, tearing his eyes away from Rachel. He knows that this time, right here and now, that he must make decisions without her help. For she won't be giving him any answers. ''Maybe it's really for the best.'' Finn runs up towards Puck to walk with him. Willing his self to be with his best friend.

''I'll be going too, I guess.'' Sam responds. ''I'm not going to stay here.'' Sam walks the opposite direction of Finn and Puck, hearing the steps of another person following him.

''I'll go too trouty mouth.'' Santana lays her fingers gently on his shoulder. Looking at him amused. Her smile might proclaim that she thinks that this whole situation is funny, but deep down within, very, very, very deep within, where her heart might be, she feels scared and sad.

Quinn stands there, undecided. Clueless. She doesn't know what is best and what is worst. What will help them, or tear them apart.

''Lets just go, Quinn.'' Kurt say's. He gazes back at the blond girl, waiting for her to respond.

She needs somebody to give her the answers, ''okay.'' And she thinks that Kurt will help her with it. She hopes he will.

''Are you coming Rachel?'' Kurt gazes at her, holding her glance. Searching her brown chocolate eyes.

She stares. Shaking her head dismissively. Refusing.

He furrows his eyebrow and is about to say something back. But Rachel beats him to it.

''Just go... I will leave soon enough.''

He seems like he wants to say something back, disagree with her, or even pull her with him if he must.

But he knows it will be no good trying to convince a girl like Rachel who has already made up her mind.

Kurt smiles weakly, closing his eyes gently in defeat. He takes Quinn's hand and walks away from Rachel's sight. Heading the opposite direction from the others. Separating himself from their presences.

The bodies of her friends become smaller and smaller, littler, and littler. The darkness welcoming them. Walls of blackness surrounding their features, their skins, their bones. Becoming mere dots within the darkness, ensuring them to fall within camouflage. Tearing each other apart without them knowing. Disappearing, completely out of sight.

She gazes around her, making small circles around her ash. Falling inside her own thoughts. Whispering her silent goodbyes.

She closes her eyes, hands spread wide next to her. Legs parted slightly, lips open, face directed to the dark sky.

Relishing the feel of freedom.

* * *

><p><strong>TBC<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

She ends up walking to the first place that pops inside her mind. It's a long walk, and she meets strangers who look at her too long, with this crazed glance within their eyes. Some even attempting to talk to her, ask her to come over. She refuses of course. Because one thing she has learned inside the base that has clung to her during her whole thirteen years of life; is to never, _ever_, trust a stranger. Better yet, don't trust a single soul. They often aim to hurt you.

Rachel has come to learn that the hard way, unfortunately.

The lights are dim, and the streets abandoned, the house is still just the same way she remembered. A vague memory forever imprinted within her mind.

The first time she had come here, was on the age of one. Her mother used to bring her here for a few months. Referring to the men within the household as her best friends. She was yet too little and too small, and didn't know the world, at all. But they brought light and color to the unknown.

It was like her second home.

Though she was young, and knew little to nothing about the world. Somehow she had still remembered this detail. This aspect of her life. Perhaps this little aspect was the best. The familiar sent of strawberries and cake. Perhaps it made her world look indeed far more colorful.

She walks to the small fence and opens it up subsequently. Her legs are tired, and she's about to fall down from exhaustion. She hasn't consumed anything, and her stomach is making unpleasant noises to reveal it's troubles.

She knocks on the wooden door. Hard and yet loud. Willing them to wake up. Hoping that they are still there for her.

A bunch of noises announce, lights flickering on. Ringing of silver metal.

The door opens, softly and on a crack.

A short man pops his head out, looking intently back at her. Brows furrow and nose wrinkled. ''Who are y-'' he doesn't continue his words. Letting the sound of his voice die somewhere inside the air. Instead his lips fall open and the door widens even more.

His short body comes lunged forward grabbing her around the waist to envelope her in a big hug.

She isn't use to this kind of treatment, but it still feels good.

''I can't believe my eyes..'' He pushes her softly backwards to have good look at her. His eyes searching, full of hope. ''Leroy! Come here!'' He holds her tighter, his smile widening even more. ''Rachel?'' She smiles weakly. Disbelieve. Unable to believe that after all these years, they still remember her.

''Oh God!'' Leroy runs through the door, grabbing her from the side, and pushing his husband away to get to her. ''Rachel, _Rachel_... How..'' He shakes his head. Hugging her tightly. Tears slipping from his eyelashes. ''This can't be.'' He holds in his breath. Clenching on to her tighter. Harder. Wanting to believe this, willing his self to believe this.

''You, you.'' He releases his breath. Holding her on her arms to get a good look at her. ''_You _were kidnapped, how did you come back?''

She remembers that day as though it was yesterday. The danger within the eyes of the one who took her. Taking her away from the life she knew. Away from everything, and everyone who loved her.

She doesn't want to remember, not anymore.

''I'm here.'' She smiles again, forced, but yet truthful.

They still can't believe their eyes though, nor their ears.

Hiram clasps his hand over his mouth. ''I have to call Shelby, she was worried sick! We've been searching for you for years now. Never stop to believe that your were gone from this earth. Never giving up hope.'' She doesn't have hope. But she's glad that they held on to it for her. ''Shelby needs to hear about this.''

That's when she moves herself from Leroy's arms and goes to stop Hiram from going inside the house.

''Please don't.''

Both look shocked now, confused. ''Why not, honey?'' Leroy asks, shaking his head, slowly, disbelieving. ''Don't you want your mother to know that your back?''

She _does_ want her mother to know. But she can't risk the danger that lies ahead if she moves back in with her mother. ''She can't know.'' She sighs, wiggling a bit on her legs. Still completely tired. ''If she does, they will find me. I can't risk that.''

Hiram's eyes widen, mimicking the features of his husband. ''Who.. Who will find you?'' He walks closer, laying his hand on her cheek. ''The police can help.''

She laughs, contemptuously. Angrily. ''They can't do a thing.'' She sighs, wobbling far more. ''It will only get worse.''

''You're tired Rachel. Let's go inside.'' Leroy notices her movement. Her exhaustion. ''We will talk in the morning.''

She agrees.

* * *

><p>Rachel wakes up to the smell of pancakes, a pink colorful room, and stuffed animals lying next to her. Holding her company. At first she's scared when she sees the lying toys, fearing that an attack has been planned on her and that she must aggress. However, when she points her finger at a little pink pony, poking the soft body. She feels no heartbeat or any token of life leaving it's body.<p>

She feels secure, knowing that nothing is going to attack her now.

She stands up and walks to the door, walking down the stairs and following the smell of pancakes haunting her senses. Hearing her stomach grumble when gaining closer.

''You're awake.'' Hiram states, laying five slices of pancakes on her plate. ''Come and eat. You must be hungry.''

She is.

She walks to the table and seats herself before it. Leroy lay's his newspaper on the table, before offering her a small smile. ''Thank you.'' She looks back at Hiram as she say's it. Casting a glance at Leroy for extra measures. Not only thanking them for giving her food. But also a place to stay.

As soon as Hiram gives her a grateful smile in return, she digs inside her food and eats it far more unladylike then she's aught to be. She sips from her lemonade and feels the emptiness within her stomach dissipate.

''Are you going to tell us what happened?'' Hiram asks, seating his self before her. He lay's his elbows on top of the table and looks back at her curiously.

She takes a last bite of her pancakes and sips from her lemonade. ''I was abducted.'' She lay's the lemonade back on the table. And thinks more precisely about what she's going to say. She doesn't want to lie to them. But telling them that she has been abducted because of the powers she has been born with, will sound far more crazier.

''Who took you?'' Leroy asks, holding her glance.

''I don't know.'' She _does_, actually. ''He never showed his face.'' _He did_.

Hiram nods, feeling her pain. ''Why don't you want us to call Shelby, or even tell somebody that your back?''

''You know that the police can help you, right?'' Leroy pitches in. ''They've been on your case for years now. Though they've stopped searching, some people have still held an eye open for your appearance.''

She shakes her head. For she knows that bringing the police in this will only lead to trouble. They are _all_ in on her disappearance. ''No. Don't call the police. It will only get worse.'' She sighs. ''Nor tell Shelby, for if I go back to her, they will contrive me.'' She bites her lip, looking back at them. ''I've escaped and the first place they will go to is my mom.''

They nod. Understandable.

''I just, want to live with you guys. Please?''

They never had it in them to disagree with her. ''Fine.'' Leroy crosses his arms. ''But not for long, okay, Rachel. After you've gain enough strenght and the coast is clear, then you _will_ be going back to Shelby. Her heart is breaking because of your disappearance.''

She understands that, completely.

''And you will be going to school.''

''But-''

''No but's,'' Hiram continues. ''We will change your name, and adopt you as our own. _For now_. And as a lawyer myself, I will find a way.''

She can't disagree now.

Leroy takes his newspaper back in his hands, unable to take his eyes of Rachel. ''What did they actually do with you there?'' He's a bit unsure to ask this and feels the atmosphere thicken in.

Her face whitens and her eyes show less to no emotion. Her heartbeat races, and suddenly she feels like the room is suffocating her and clenching in her lungs.

She doesn't want to talk about it.

Hiram, seeing her discomfort, brushes of the subject. ''You don't need to talk about it, honey. Not yet.'' She nods. ''But one day you have to, though.''

She can't give a reaction to that.

* * *

><p>She hadn't ever went to <em>a<em> school and after their little talk, Leroy had decided that homeschooling would be good for a while. Just so she can pick up the things she has never gotten to learn.

To be honest, during her time at the base, they had thought her several of things. They learned her how to speak, walk properly, formulas, science. Presumably everything that a normal child learns at a public or boarding school. And honestly she's scared to go to a school with other children.

Agreeing with Leroy on that subject comes naturally.

* * *

><p>When her fourteenth birthday comes, Leroy and Hiram decided to take her to New York. She never went there and was truthfully surprised that you can go to another place then the one your in.<p>

They leave Lima Ohio and take a plane to go to that state.

It's big and large and there are so many cars. She's surprised that a place can take in so much without falling apart. In New York there are more people then in Lima and they look differently then the common people she's seen.

She sees things that never leave her mind, she visits the Empire State and enjoys it very much. Madame Tussuad museum is so beautiful yet unique, her eyes can't leave her surroundings nor does her body want to. Her heart lightens up and her smile grows every now and then bigger and bigger. Until she shows it like it's just a natural thing and as though she has done it often before.

It becomes her happy smile.

On their third week in New York, Leroy and Hiram take her to a Broadway musical, she has never heard of before. It's called _Les Misérable _and at first she's kinda looking against it. But Hiram pressures her and Leroy begs her to come.

Reluctantly she agrees.

She's captivated by the mere acting performance. And the way the emotions reek from their bodies. She sits mesmerized next to Leroy and Hiram. Sitting in the middle of it all. Her eyes reflect the performance, the shimmering of stars haunting her sight.

Music starts floating through the theater and a song haunts her head and heart and it fills her with _hope_. It confuses her that hope can feel so good.

_On my own_

_Pretending he's beside me_

_All alone_

Her eyes reflect stars, more and more. Shining and filling her completely.

_I walk with him till morning_

_Without him_

_I feel his arms around me_

She falls in love with the mere thought of her on that stage, singing the same song. Perhaps a differ song, one that she would sing better. Make unique, all by herself. She can't comprehended the feelings she has now, but it makes her smile bigger and brighter and her eyes light up.

_And when I lose my way I close my eyes_

_And he has found me_

It fills her with what has left her long ago. What she has forgotten and what she has given up during her time in that horrendous base. It fills her with hope, and believe and trust that maybe, after all, things can become better and maybe she will become happy. Perhaps there is a star somewhere in this universe waiting for her to touch it.

She tells herself that she will sing. With the same emotion. Perhaps even deeper.

* * *

><p>She starts singing straight after the theater. Singing the songs she has just heard, for those are the only songs she knows.<p>

Hiram smiles happily and Leroy applauds her for her efforts.

''You sound very good.'' Hiram tells her, as they sit in a taxi. ''Maybe you can make a living out of it.''

She smiles happily.

Leroy nods next to him. ''With a little bit more training, you might become perfect.'' He laughs. ''Who knows maybe you'll also be on such a stage and preform music from your heart.''

She doesn't tell them that that's exactly what she wants.

''Will I get a vocal trainer, and a dance instructor? And_ oh_.'' She thinks over the mere possibilities. ''Perhaps also a acting trainer.'' She smiles; that show stopping new smile of hers. ''That would be amazing.''

* * *

><p>They leave New York a week later. She's been to many more musicals, and has enjoyed either one of them. Memorizing the songs and singing them every time she gets a chance.<p>

She protested against leaving from this place she calls heaven itself. But Hiram thinks that it's time to go to Lima and continue their lives.

They head for the airport and as they do so, they meet several of camera's and lights flashing every where. Making photo's of a woman.

They leave their taxi and walk towards the airport, but Rachel can't help but head for the female being attacked by paparazzi and screaming people. It's like her body has it's own will, and she feels contempt to listen.

''I'm sorry, but are does people bothering you?'' Rachel castes a look at the people screaming, cameras continue flashing and men who are particularly buffed surrounding the woman. Even moving towards her to get her far away.

The woman laughs and tells the men to cease.

''No they are not bothering me,'' the woman laughs and Rachel notices that her smile is wide and sweet. And her nose is a little bit too big. It makes Rachel smile, knowing that their are others who also have big noses, just like hers. And embrace it like a beauty part. ''What is your name?''

She replies, soon. ''Rachel.'' She pauses, thinking about her last name. Her eyes detain Leroy and Hiram standing a few measures away. Being held back by the large buffed men. ''Rachel Berry.''

''Well Rachel berry. What do you say about a photo, just you and me?'' The woman asks.

Rachel doesn't know why the woman wants to be on a photo with her, but she thinks that the memory will be far more lasting when she's back in Lima and doesn't see her again. ''Okay.''

She feels her eyes blur as the light clicks before her eyes. She holds her ground though and the female next to her, holds her tightly to support her even more. She wonders for a moment if she will be getting the photo anytime soon.

''Nice meeting you, Rachel.''

She smiles back at her, eyes glistering. ''You too.. Uhm..''

''Barbra. _Barbra Streisand_.''

''I will remember that name.''' Rachel tells her.

''And I will remember yours.'' She sounds sweet and genuine. And Rachel's positive that her life will only become better from now on.

She heads back to Leroy and Hiram, and waves goodbye and the female.

She doesn't understand why Hiram and Leroy look confused and shocked when she nears them closer.

* * *

><p>Rachel falls in love with Barbra Streisand, figuratively, of course. When they arrive home back in Lima and she misses the feel of the New york streets, Hiram and Leroy start telling her about the amazing singer. They even have tracks and Cd's of this woman.<p>

Arriving in their premises, they show her every song that the female had every sung. Every soul full music she has brought upon this earth.

And it makes Rachel warm and fuzzy and she feels the need to sing even more and more. Idolizing this woman.

Barbra becomes her idol, New York becomes the place she wants to live the rest of her life in, music becomes her soul and heart and Broadway becomes her dream. Within all of her dreams she sees stars flickering everywhere every now and then. And stars from then on become her metaphor, for her being a star.

* * *

><p>She rolls and turns inside her bed, sweat leaking from her pores, plagues of her past haunting her vision. She sees a chamber and she's all alone within it. She feels another presence, a cold soulless feeling. And when she turns around within the dark empty room, she meets Noah's eyes. They are dark and his fists are burning. Fire leaving every bit of skin. Warming up the cold room. Flaming up his hands.<p>

She backs away fast, for he looks scared, angry, completely raged and she knows that if he looks just like that their is literally hell to pay.

She doesn't know how far she's been backing away, but soon she feels another body at her back and her hands touch flesh and skin. Her head turns around so fast, her own hair almost gives her a whiplash.

Her eyes meet the sea blue pupils of Sam. His face is empty and he shows nothing that can conclude that he's in life, no emotion, not a trace of fear, or a trace of rage. But somehow, this very lifeless facial expression of his only makes him look far more scarier then he ever was.

She runs to the right, backing away from both boy's, hands before her. However, when she turns around to see if she's indeed save from heir claws, she meets Santana's body sitting there on the floor, looking at her nails intently. Legs crossed. But Rachel get's this creepy irritating feeling that Santana can somehow see that she's standing before her without even looking.

Santana jerks up, letting cold, vehemently electricity leave her fingernails, clicking her fingers together. Echoing through the once empty chamber, reverberating over the walls, before lunging herself forward. Moving fast and quick, angry and raged.

With all the power she musters in her petite tiny body, Rachel pushes herself backwards, sliding over the ground to head away from the fierce Latina. Her butt hurts, but she pushes backwards and backwards, further away. Using her feet to help.

Her back collides with a cold barrier, stopping her from going on.

She looks up and her nose catches the familiar sent of nature and plants and gardens. Her eyes connect with the golden brown eyes of Quinn. She's smiling down at her, cruel. Telling her with mere her eyes that she's going to do something repulsive to her.

Shivers running down her spine, goosebumps forming on her tender skin. Eyes increasing.

She wants too scream, run, head to a place where the lights are still on and the world is peaceful and quite.

She lays both her hands on top of her head. Grabbing her brown hair in fists, bring her knees up to her chin and clenching her eyes shut. She holds her eyes closed, so tightly, so _damn_ hard. Eyelashes gracing over each other. Jaw clenching, harder and harder. Hurting her own teeth due to her force. She breaths in, out, in, out, _hard_. Unable to control herself. _In and out, in, out_.

''It's all going to be okay.'' She opens up her eyes looking back at the young skinny boy before her. Her heart skips a beat. ''We're going to make you feel okay, again.'' Kurt whispers. Holding her sight as he brings his hand towards her.

She can't take this, it's too much. ''Go away!'' She jerks away, crawling too the other side of the chamber. Moving her knees over the ground.

''Don't go Rachel.'' She looks up finding Finn standing their before her, pushing his hands forward to pick her up. ''Let me help you.'' She moves backwards, leaning on her hands and sliding away. Her eyes look crazed, her face pale. She can't breath properly.

She wants to run, but everywhere she goes she sees their faces. She sees no way out.

''Let's just cut the crap.'' She hears the very known voice of the leaders. His warm breath hovering above her. And she feels her heart stop beating and her blood boiling, the sounds sussing within her head. ''You can't go anywhere, Rachel.'' He stops, and it's dramatic and scary. ''We _will _find you.'' She doesn't know why this sentence feels like it has a double meaning.

She wakes up screaming.

* * *

><p><strong>TBC<strong>


End file.
